this is a bit random but just came up in the course of conversation last night. My husband will be retiring probably in about 3 years and we were vaguely discussing moving house. We have lived in the same house for the past 25 years.
I have sero-negative RA and am on Benepali so I just started wondering what happens if I move to a different area. Not talking about moving abroad or anything just if we moved to a different NHS area for example.
Has anyone done this and would I still automatically get my Benepali? I've never really thought about it before as we've lived in the same place ever since I was first diagnosed. Do we look at moving somewhere that has the best RA support (like school catchment areas 😀)
Would be interested to hear other people's experiences.
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Chann
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I know when we looked at moving to N Ireland and I was told I could do an internal referral from my trust in London to the western trust - they would’ve kept my dmard prescription as was but I would come under their care pathway which involved just seeing a rheumatologist once a year- and having bloods at GP with access to a nurse helpline; but I would not have the multidisciplinary care provided by my trust where I have lung function tests and see a respiratory doctor plus cardiologist twice a year- unless they felt it appropriate to refer me. So we decided to stay put. Now am looking to move towards Norwich or Kibgs Lynn which are apparently very good. I think research of each trust and how it deliver care is crucial nowadays.
yep we’d assumed so much about healthcare - so now we’re focusing on one or two areas that appear to give me access to a level of care I’ve been used to plus for my wife the oncology support she’s had over the past decade - fortunately the trusts we’re honing in on have said they ll honour her referral at UCH/Royal Free in London plus for me - RA care seems pretty decent as long as I get my annual lung check .
It’s incredible as you said - it’s as important as researching schools for your kids to ensure you get a decent health provision
Hi...if you move to Norfolk I would recommend using the N & N at Norwich...it is a teaching hospital and far better than Kings Lynn (incidentally which is being held up with Acrow props)!! I would prefer to do this myself but am waiting for several appointments with different departments and am trying to reassure myself that I must be well down on the waiting list and to transfer to N & N I might start at the beginning again. I have lots of friends who use the N & N at Norwich and the bus services are very efficient and help to avoid the difficulties with parking. Good luck,
We moved areas in 2020, at the start of the first lockdown. I stayed with the hospital and consultant that i was with, as i was happy with the care i was receiving . I registered with a new gp and my records were transfered electronically from my old gp.
What I will say is that nhs trusts do not seem to communicate very efficiently or quickly, and not all use the same methods or systems between gp and consultant. So where I am now my gp is in overall care of my treatment so its them I see initially if i experience blips, get blood yest etc, whereas that was not the case in the old area. I also have to ring the rheumy dept to let them know when I have had a blood test so that they can request a copy as the results are not automatically sent.
Now know the system its fine. Letters from my rheumy dept and results of consultations are sent to my gp so they are fully informed of my care. My gp prescribes my drugs , following the direction of the rheumy drpt.
I moved from Oxfordshire to North Norfolk two years ago. I sought advice on here about the standard of rheumatology care in NN and was pleased with the feedback.
I registered with my new medical practice before I moved, talked to them about my RA and as soon as I moved I was reviewed and put in contact with the Rheumy team at Norwich who took me on.
I have Benepali delivered, so I talked to Sciensus as soon as I had a moving date. They were really helpful.
My old GP gave me double my MXT etc so I didn’t face any gaps in drug admin.
I did a lot of talking to peeps before I moved and it was a seamless transition.
Our NHS is wonderful.
Moving was a big thing as I’d lived in Oxfordshire for over 50 years, but the very best thing - love it here on the coast ❤️
Good luck, a bit of spade work and it will be fine!
Same experience for me. I moved from Northamptonshire to North North in Jan 21 (lockdown 3) but both trusts and GPs were equally brilliant at ensuring my care and meds delivery (benepali) went smoothly. Chann Advice is, talk to GP and hospital before you relocate to both areas, get stocked up on meds because transition will take time and be proactive in organising the transition of care. When I spoke to my new GP, yes a new referral had to be made to new hospital for consultant but because I was on existing treatment and under a consultant already as ongoing treatment they were are to expedite the referral so I heard back within 4 weeks. The nursing team at both hospitals were also really helpful!
I must admit, I looked into this last year, for the same reasons, hubby retires in a few years. He’s also unhappy in his work, but a change in job would mean relocating. The feedback I got when I asked the question, was that I had to be referred again by new gp. This part concerns me, due to the lengthy waiting times for seeing a rheumatologist. I was also told that my current CCG wouldn’t continue funding my biologic till I was seen by a new team. I’m also on MTX which wouldn’t continue without a rheumatologist overseeing it. It frustrates me as our “national health service” isn’t really national. Teams from different hospitals can’t communicate, results can’t be seen outside your Trust. It should be that the current rheumatologist can do a direct referral to a consultant at the new hospital. Sadly there is very strict criteria as to when a consultant can refer on to another, and last time I looked relocation wasn’t one of them. If you hear things are different now I’d love to know. When I was first diagnosed in Leeds, I live in Kent, I had to be transferred back locally for the biologics, as the CCG wouldn’t fund out of area. I was gutted as the care in Leeds was exceptional. 🤗
you must talk with nurse helpline for the feedback because when I moved to another city I easily was able to get new registration with gp and my previous record was also being transferred but unfortunately had to wait six month to see new rheumatologist without medicines and it’s was very tough time for me .Now again have plan to move and it’s very frustrating but surely will discuss with consultant at least to get a letter to have prompt an Appiontment in new area or what steps should I take first not to discontinue medicines
Morning. When I moved (to a different city and Health Authority) I kept my Rheumatology team. There were no issues (though I am on Mtx). Shared care still applies.
The GP and myself are sent a copy of my post Appointment RA letter and I have all blood monitoring & meds done through my GP.
We moved from Norfolk to North Yorkshire in 2019, my consultant in Norfolk arranged for my injections to be continued until I had been seen by my new consultant so this was for a period of about 6 months. My new GP did a referral to the new hospital but I have seen other people on here that their old consultants have made the initial referral. Good luck with the move wherever and whenever you decide to go xx
When I was thinking of moving my criteria for an area to move to was that the GP surgery had to use the same computer system as the one I was with now. Sometimes if a patient is moved from Systmone to EMIS (and back again in my case!) data can get lost. I was with the PPG of a surgery that moved all their patients from Systmone One to EMIS and it was chaos and they were all in the same surgery with the same doctors, I can't imagine the hassle of moving GPs and systems.
I also read the CQC reports and online feedback from GP Patient Survey and Care Opinion so that I could make sure I wasn't moving to an area that had a poor GP service.
Hi I’ve been treat by Rheumatologist in a different area to where I live for past 24 years. Yes I travel 25 miles to hospital for appointments but it is my choice. My local Rheumatologist failed to diagnose my RA 3 times over a 9 year period so GP asked me to go privately in a different area. I know it’s not quite the same but logisticsally it must be. Both hospitals on different systems so don’t share results but do send clinic letters. X
Not sure about getting Benpali Chann, but we moved to North Wales. A few weeks beforehand I'd informed rheumatology team and contacted my other specialist secretaries myself. As soon as we got here we found a local gp, registered with them and with the pharmacist next door. I gave them all the details, prescriptions etc and they took it from there to contact my specialist team. I had my last rituximab infusion at my usual hospital so gp has 8 weeks to sort out next infusion, for which I was sent a letter to make an appt for a month's time at my new local hospital which I've done. I hope this helps.
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